Illuminated display cabinet



April 21, 1959 H. J. FITZGERALD ILLUMINATED DISPLAY CABINET Filed Dec. 5, 1955 win/MM.

ATTORNEY United S s P fi o asssasz ILLUMINATED msPL vcAnrNET Harold J. Fitzgerald, Milwaukee, nssignor to Superdisplay, Inc., Milwaukee, Win, a corporation of Wish cousin i M This invention relates to display cabinets it more specifically resides in a cabinet having. a plurality of shelves spaced one above the other in which the shelves are disposed in an arcuate plane with each shelf substantially normal to the slope of the planeat its particular position, and in which illuminatingmeans is disposed at 2 v front panel 1 formed of sheet material witha set back 2, atthe base of the apparatus, and the upper extent of the panel 1 is bent backwardly and then downwardly to form a lowermost shelf 3, as is shown in Fig. l. A right hand side panel 4 and a left hand side panel'5 extend rearwardly from the front panel 1, with. the for.- ward edge of each being exposedat the .sides ,of the panel 1. Above the panel 1, a forward edge 6 of each panel 4, 5 slopes upwardly and rearwardly in an arcuate line, and at the top of each panel 4, 5 is an integrally formed forwardly extending arm 7 overhangingthe arcuate edge 6. A metal trim strip,8 is attached to each edge 6, and each strip 8 extends upwardly from a 1level at the top edge of the front panel 1 to the, corresponding arm 7 andthen along both the under and upper edges of the a position whereby light therefrom strikes the entire area ofeachshelf. I

In displaying merchandise, consisting of numerous small articles, in a cabinet it is desirable to make effective useof illumination. In this manner the, merchandise. is

readily identified by an observer and his interestis aroused by the emphasis derived from the illumination. In illuminating shelving the light source is necessarily placed to the front, so that light may strike the goods and be reflected to the observer. The light source is also placed either well above or below the level of the shelves, so as not to obstruct the line of sight of an observer. In usual display cabinets the placement of the illuminating means is such that shelves fall in the shade of one another, such that only the front portions receive direct illumination. Thus, when the front of a shelf is emptied the remaining goods are not effectively illuminated.

In the present invention the shelving and the source of illumination are disposed in a relation that the direct rays of illumination strike the entire upper surface of each shelf as well as a substantial portion of the back wall behind the shelves. In this manner there is ensured proper illumination of goods on the individual shelves, whether the goods extend to the front of the shelves or are disposed only at the rear.

It is an object of this invention to provide a display cabinet in which goods may be shown under direct illumination.

It is another object of this invention to provide a display cabinet having shelving disposed with the entire upper surface areas in the direct illumination of a light source.

It is another object of this invention to provide a display cabinet that advantageously exhibits goods therein to aid sales of such goods.

It is another object of this invention to provide a display cabinet in which shelving forming a part thereof is disposed ar-cuately about a source of illumination.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will appear in the description to follow. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof, in which there is shown by way of illustration and not of limitation a specific embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a side view in elevation, with parts broken away and in section, of a cabinet embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a front view in elevation of the cabinet in Fig. 1, with parts broken away and in section, and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the cabinet viewed through the plane 3--3 indicated in Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, the cabinet shown has a A lamp supporting bracket {includingan appropriate socket not shown, is mounted on the forward end of each arm 7, and a lamp 10 extends between-and is supported bybrackets 9 to furnish a source of illumination. The lamp 10 is located behind the vertical plane passing through the forwardmost extent of the lower shelf 3. Tothe front'of the, lamp 10 is a sign 11 of translucent niaterialwhich is adapted for the display of lettering. or the like. A transparent panel 12' extending between the arms 7 forms a top for the apparatus through which articles being displayedon shelving, tobe. described, may be observed. i i

As shown in Fig. 3, a partition wall 13 has a turned edge 14 fastened to the inner surface of the side panel 4. The partition wall 13 is secured in like manner to the opposite side panel 5, and extends between the sides 4, 5 to form the rearward extent of a display area at the front of the apparatus. The lower margin 20 of the partition wall 13 joins with the rear of the shelf 3, and from this juncture extends upwardly and. rearwardly in an arcuate plane of increasing slope with increasing height. The plane of the wall 13 has a general likeness to the plane that is common to both edges 6 of the panels 4, 5, but is disposed at a distance to the rear of the edges 6.

A partial inner wall 15 is shown in Figs. 1 and 3 which is closely spaced to the side panel 4 so as to be directly behind the edge 6 and trim strip 8. The partial wall 15 extends forward of the partition wall 13, and a plurality of inwardly extending shelf supporting pins 16 pierce and are supported by the wall 15. As shown in Fig. 1 the pins 16 are disposed in sets of three, with each set supporting one end of a shelf 17.

A partial inner wall 18, shown in Fig. 2, adjacent the side wall 5 is similar to the wall 15 and a plurality of pins 19 in the wall 18, that are also disposed in sets of three, support the ends of the shelves 17 at the left hand side of the apparatus. For each set of three pins, 16 or 19, one is disposed above the associated shelf 17 and two are disposed beneath. Each shelf 17 is securely held in place, and if desired may be removed by drawing the same forwardly in the plane of the particular shelf. The shelves 17 are disposed at varying angles, the lowermost having the greatest degree of tilt and each succeeding shelf 17 having a lesser angle of tilt as compared with the one beneath. The tilt of each shelf 17 is such that the shelf is substantially normal to the slope of the wall 13 at the point where the after edge of the shelf rests upon the wall 13. The slope of the wall 13 and the angle of tilt of the shelves 17 aresuch, in relation to the lamp 10, that direct rays from the lamp 10 fully illuminate the entire area of each shelf, as well as a substantial portion of the wall 13 immediate y above the after edge of each shelf 17.

The invention provides a cabinet with illumination that may be disposed behind the foremost edge of the lower 3 shelf and at a height that the vision of an observer standing tothefront is not obscured. With "the illumination at such height and position the full area of the shelves is directly illuminated, without resort to either excessive depth to *the cabinet, or "shelves of insufficient width.

Thus, as the supply of goods displayed on theshelves is depleted. the remaining goods to the rear will not fall in 'the shadow ofshelves above. The display of the goods,

through "illumination is not, therefore, impaired as the goods are removed. Further, the side panels have front edges sloping similarly :as the rear wall of the display area whereby goods displayed maybe viewed from diverse positions, while retaining shelves in arcuate array that do not shadow one another.

' "fl-claim:

. In ajdisplay cabinet the combination comprising a pair of side-wall members spaced from one another each having a-"r'orward edgethat slopes "from the front upwardly andrear-wardly in an arc of increasing slope, with the edges falling in the same arcuate plane; apartial inner .wall closely'gspacedto' the side of each side wall member and rearwardly with an increasing slope; illumination meansincluding a pair of arms each extending forwardly from the upper limits of a forward edge of a side wall member to overhang such edge and a lamp supported between such arms at a position whereby rays of light from the lamp may impinge upon said partition wall; a plurality of shelves spaced one above the other each extending forward vfrom the partition wall and supported by said pins at an angle substantially normal to the slope ofi-the partition "wall to receive light from the lamp over its-entire upper surfacearea, each of' said shelves having a depth not less than the distance between it and the adjacent shelves, the forwardmost edge of the lowest-shelf being as far forward as said lamp, and the 'angle of tilt of each shelf allowingthe shelf immediately beneath to be fully illuminated.

References Cited in. the file of this patent lJIfilI' lEZD STATES PATENTS 

